Overdrive: April 2009 

EO Ottawa member David Ryan wanted to be cautious about his plans. While anxious to get his new company, Electronic Time Capsule, off the ground, he needed to ensure he husbanded his resources.

In the current economy, getting paid can be tough. With more and more customers postponing payments, business owners are adopting new methods to receive their payments and stay afloat.

Whether it’s a legitimate tipping point or just a milestone that prompts us to reflect, the five-year business mark seems to be a critical juncture for most entrepreneurs.

I think having the right people is the difference between running a good company and a great one; more importantly, having the right culture is the key to keeping the right people.

What can you do with three minutes? Smoke one third of a cigarette. Tell your wife you are on the way home. Wait for the light to change. Change a diaper. Read a page in a book. Beat yourself into total exhaustion.

At one of our recent EO New York events, we were privileged to hear from Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com. He shared with us how he grew the company from zero dollars to US$1 billion in 10 short years.